Separator-feeder.



W. K. LIGGBTT.

SEPARATOR FEEDER.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT, e, 1912.

Patented Feb. 16, 1915.

OOOOOOOOO THE NORRIS PETERS Co PHOTO'LITHCL. WASHINGIQN, 0 L

WILLIAM K. LIGGETT, 0F COLUMBUS, OI-IIO, ASSIGNOR TO THE JEFFREYMANUFAC- TUBING: COMPANY, OF COLUMBUS, OHIO, A CORPORATION OF-OHIO.

SEPARAT'OR-IEEEDEB.

Specification of LettersJPatent.

Patcntedlteb. 16, 1915..

Original application filed. May 8, 1912, Serial .No. 695,853: Dividedand this application filed September 6,

1912." Serial No. 718,882.

To all whom it mag concern Be it-known that I, .WILLIAM K. LIGGETT, acitizenof the UnitedStates, residingat Columbus, in the county ofFranklin and State of Ohio, have invented certain newand usefulImprovements in Separator- Feeders, of which the following is aspecification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawing.

This invention relates to improvements in feeding mechanisms and isparticularly adapted for the purpose of feeding granular or finelydivided-material slowly upon vibrating screens, separators and grindingmills.

The invention is showninconnection with a separator of the type setforth in my pendingapplication Ser. No. 695,853, filed May 8, 1912, thepresent application being a division of the said pending application.

In the drawings Figure 1 is a fragmentary longitudinal verticalsectional view showing in detail the hopper and its feeding mechanism.Fig. 2 is a side elevation of a screen-i ing apparatus used inconnection with my improved feeder, and Fig. 3 1s a front elevation ofthe devlce shownin Fig. 2.

In the drawingsI have shown a separator of a vibrating screen type inwhich my improved feeding device or hopperis incorporated. It is to beunderstood that whereas the drawing shows this feeding mechanism inconnection with a particular. type. of.

screen the invention is to bein no wise limited to this application asit may be used with equal success in connection with any other kind ofapparatus towhich material of a divided or granular nature is to befed.

Referring to the drawings, the numeral 1 indicates in general the screenstretchers and their supports which, together with the vibrating devicecomprises the screening mechanism proper. The screens are mounted withina casing provided with suitable doors for easy'access to the interior,this casing being supported upon a structural framework adapted to besecured to a suitable foundation. The casing comprises vertical sideplates 2, the front 3 with-its swinging door 1, the inclinedbottom 5,the upper back 6 and the inclined top 7 which is prooutstanding lugs 18which are engaged by a supporting cable 141. For the purpose ofsupporting the cable'lland providing a winding'mechanism by whichthelower end of the screen mayv beraised or lowered to obtain the bestangle of operation fordifferent characterv of materials, a transverse:

shaft 15 is mounted in the front portion of the casing and provided witha pawl and ratchet mechanism 16. The cable l l is continuous and passesthroughlthe two holes 17 drilled diametrically through the shaft 15.Ahand .wheel 18is attached to the end of the shaft 15 by means of whichit is operated.

thereby raising or lowering the lower end of the screen, the ratchetdevice holding it in.

any desired position.

The screen frame 11 is provided at its lower end and along its sideswith upstanding fingers ,19 which hold the screen stretchers in positionand prevent displacement duringoperation. Side pieces 20 are secured tothe sides ofthe frame and prevent material from over-running V the edgesof the screen.

The transverse rod 12 upon which the upper end of thescreen frame 11 ismounted passes outward through openings in the sides 20f the leasing,and is. supported in blocks whichslide within vertically arranged guidebrackets 33 attached tothe upright casing supports 10. Verticallyarranged coil springs are placed within the brackets 83 and bear againstthe upper and lower sides of the blocks32. This arrangement allows theupper;end of the screen mechanism to receive a vertical-floating orspring cushioned motion, the tension of the springs being adjusted byset screws 35 passing through the ends of the brackets 38.

A- transverse shaft 36 is mounted in journals 37 upon the upper face ofthe casing and is driven by a pulley 3S. Mounted upon this transverseshaft at each side of the casing are two eccentrics 39 carryingeccentric straps 40. Blocks are placed upon the ends of the rod 12 andare slidably mounted Within two separable bumper blocks 44. Connectingthe bumper blocks and the eccentric strap are two rods 45 which act aspitmen and also secure together the two halves of the eccentric straps40. The lower ends of the rods 45 or pitmen are threaded and passthrough the bumper blocks 44. Nuts 46 are placed upon the threadedportion of the rods 45 above and below the two bumper blocks. Coilsprings 47 surround the rods 45 and are placed between the two blocks,extending into recesses 48 in the inner faces of the bumper block. Thesesprings separate the two bumper blocks and press them resilientlyagainst the limiting nuts or stops 46. Collars 49 are secured upon theends of the rod 12 so as to prevent the bumper blocks from becomingdisplaced and slipping over the blocks 43 when the machine is inoperation. The rotation of the shaft 86 through the eccentric 39 causesthe rapid reciprocation of the two pitmen 45. The pitmen in turn causethe bumper blocks to vibrate rapidly back and forth upon lines slightlyinclined from the vertical.

Mounted on the upper end of the casing is my improved hopper and feedingdevice comprising the chute 50 feeding into a trough 51 extending theentire width of the casing and provided at its lower portion with aninclined plate 52 of a flexible material such as sheet steel, andsecurely bolted along its rear edge to the casing. Coacting with thisinclined plate or feeder bottom is a vertically slidable gate 53positioned at the front of the hopper and adapted to be raised orlowered by hand wheels 54. An upturned lip 55 is formed on the loweredge of the plate 52 and co-acts with the gate 53 to prevent thematerial from flowing out through the hopper except when the plate 52 isvibrated. A "transverse angle piece 56 is riveted along the under sideof the inclined plate 52 and has attached to it downward and forwardextending arms 57. These arms rest upon or bear against pins or lugs 58attached to the side pieces 20 of the screen frame 11. The forwardextending parts of the arms 57 are curved in arcs about the rod 12 as acenter so that when the lower end of the screen frame is raised orlowered, the upper end swinging about the shaft 12, the lugs 58 willhear at all times the same relation to the arms. The vertical vibrationof theupper end of the screen frame is through the above describedarrangement transmitted through the arms 57 to the inclined flexibleplate 52, this rapid vibration causing material to flow downward overthe plate in a steady stream, the amount depending upon the elevation ofthe gate The vibration of this plate which is securely fastened at itsrear edge to the casing is of a nature that cannot be obtained where therear edge of the plate or hopper bottom is hinged or pivotally mounted.On the upward travel of the screen frame the hopper bottom, instead ofbeing swung upward as is the case of the pivoted bottoms, is bent upwardin a slight arc, this being found to greatly facilitate the distributionof the material transverse the feeder plate and give superior results.

It will be observed that the two adjusting wheels 54, 54 for the gateare independent of each other and that by means of them the angle of thegate with respect to the feed plate can be varied. I11 other words, therate of feed at one part of the plate can be made greater or less thanthe rate of feed at another part.

What I claim is 1. In a feeding mechanism, the combination of thehopper, a flexible inclined feed plate rigidly secured along one edge tothe hopper, the vertically operated gate for regulating the flow ofmaterial from the hopper upon the plate, the arm rigidly secured to theflexible plate, and means for imparting continuous rapid vibrations tothe said arm.

2. In a feeding mechanism, the combination of the hopper, the inclinedfeed plate secured along one edge to the hopper, the arms rigidlysecured to the inclined feed plate, a portion of the said arms beingformed in an arc, and a vibratory means pivoted at the center aboutwhich the arcuate portion of the said arms are formed and contactingwith the said arms.

3. In a feeding mechanism, the combination of the hopper, the inclinedflexible sheet metal bottom for the hopper rigidly secured along oneside to the hopper and having its lower edge part upturned to form anintegral lip, and means for imparting continuous rapid vibrations to thesaid flexible inclined bottom.

4. In a feeding mechanism, the combination of the hopper, the inclinedflexible feed plate rigidly secured along one side to the hopper, a gatefor regulating the flow of material upon the plate, means for impartingcontinuous rapid vibrations to the flexible plate, and an upturned lipformed along the lower edge of the said plate.

5. In a' feeding mechanism, the combination of the hopper, the inclinedfeed plate for the hopper, the means for imparting continuous rapidvibrations to the feed In testimony whereof I affix my signature,;plate, the gate for regulating the flow of main presence of tWoWitnesses.

terial along the plate and the plurality of independent adjustingdevices for the gate, WILLIAM LIGGETT' whereby one part of the gate canbe ad Witnesses:

W. J. MONTGOMERY,

justed With respect to the plate independ- DUDLEY T. FISHER.

ently of other parts.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents;

Washington, D. G.

